He's the hapless pachyderm who got all wrapped up in a phone call in Laura Elizabeth Richards's "Eletelephony." Raise your hand if you remember when telephones had actual cords....

This poetic companion is going to join me Saturday in Augusta, where I'll be doing a children's poetry presentation at the Georgia Literary Festival. (Fingers crossed - it's outside, and there's a 90 percent chance of rain!) I'm looking forward to driving over with my author buddy Kami Kinard and squeezing in a visit with an Augusta friend, too. We lived there for nine years while my hubby was in med school and residency; both our babies were born there.

But back to "Eletelephony" - did you know that Laura Elizabeth Richards (1850-1943), in addition to writing 90 books (!) and many children's poems, won the Pulitzer Prize in 1917 for co-authoring a biography of her mother, Julia Ward Howe, writer of the words to The Battle Hymn of the Republic? Her father, Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe, was an abolitionist and founded the Perkins Institution and Massachusetts School for the Blind. Laura E. Richards left a rich and varied body of literary works.

I didn't know any of that when, as a young child, I first read "Eletelephony." I just know that this poem tickled my fancy and helped open the door for a lifelong love of wordplay, as I'm sure it did for lots of folks throughout the decades. Enjoy!

Eletelephony

by Laura Elizabeth Richards

Once there was an elephant,Who tried to use the telephant—No! No! I mean an elephoneWho tried to use the telephone—(Dear me! I am not certain quiteThat even now I’ve got it right.)Howe’er it was, he got his trunkEntangled in the telephunk;The more he tried to get it free,The louder buzzed the telephee—(I fear I’d better drop the songOf elephop and telephong!)

For more fancy-tickling poetry today, please visit the lovely Katya at Write. Sketch. Repeat. for this week's Roundup. [And apologies for being a bit out of the loop lately; last week it was my privilege to share poetry and all kinds of writing with about 2,000 students in and around Cobb County as part of Cobb EMC's Literacy Week. I look forward to getting back home Saturday night and staying put for a while, at least until the holidays!]

This poem always reminds me of the Raffi song "Bananphone." I DO remember the phone cords -- and getting myself wrapped up in a long cord during endless teenage phone conversations.

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Laura Shovan

November 06, 2015 4:12 AM EST

Hi, Laura - Bananaphone! We listened to that CD - or was it even a tape?! - a million times when my kids were little. Thanks for the memory!

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Robyn Black

November 06, 2015 4:22 AM EST

Oh, I LOVED that poem--thanks for sharing it and calling back (see what I did there?) wonderful childhood memories!<br><br>And thanks for sharing all those great facts about Laura Elizabeth Richards! What a talented and busy lady she was. Reminds me of someone else I know...now, who could that be? ;-)<br><br>Also now I have bananaphone in my head. But there are worse things that could be in my head, so thanks? :-)

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Cathy C. Hall

November 06, 2015 4:34 AM EST

See me raising my hand?... Thanks for the fun Julia Ward Howe poem, and especially for the biographical information about her. Whoever would have imagined that such an adamant activist would have indulged in such a seemingly frivolous poem? So glad she did! So glad, too, she helped ignite your poetry passion. Good luck with your presentation this weekend. God bless you! Enjoy!

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cb hanek

November 06, 2015 5:05 AM EST

I love this poem (and elephants in general), and remember discovering it when I was little and reading it over and over. I didn't know anything about the poet, though, so thanks for those info bits!<br><br>Have fun at the festival -- fingers crossed that the rain doesn't dampen your enthusiasm.

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jama

November 06, 2015 5:21 AM EST

I just read this poem in Cybils nominated BEASTLY VERSE by Joohee Yoon! I'd never read it before. Thanks for the backstory. And go you, spreading the poetry love around the world! xo

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Irene Latham

November 06, 2015 5:40 AM EST

The poem you gave us today is really funny. The humor from the poem brightens up the day. I enjoyed the backstory, too. Thanks.

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Patricia Cruzan

November 06, 2015 6:20 AM EST

Wow...I had forgotten that poem and had no idea of it's author's background. Thanks for enlightening me! Love ya!

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Linda Thompson

November 06, 2015 6:31 AM EST

Will cross my fingers, Robyn, for a cloudless day for you presenting! I do know this poem, but like you I didn't know the fabulous background of Laura Elizabeth Richards. Wow! And 90 books, more wow. Thanks for sharing. I do love The Arrow Finds Its Mark-great book, along with those Poetry Friday Anthologies, too.

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Linda Baie

November 06, 2015 9:24 AM EST

I love this poem. It's such fun to read aloud.

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Doraine Bennett

November 06, 2015 10:11 AM EST

I wouldn't worry too much about the weather, Robyn– sounds to me like your bringing the sunshine with you! Prepare for rainbows.

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Michelle Heidenrich Barnes

November 06, 2015 10:25 AM EST

What a fun poem! It's new to me. But we still use our corded phones, so that poor elephant would be in trouble around here. <br>Thanks for making me smile. :-)

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Carmela Martino

November 06, 2015 1:18 PM EST

I haven;t read this silliness before, but it was definitely fun first time. :)

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katswhiskers (KatApel)

November 06, 2015 2:41 PM EST

This poem is a wonderful reminder of the joy of just plain SOUND and FUN! Thank you, Robyn. You are also a reminder of wondrous FUN, and the folks who get to learn from you in person are lucky indeed. HUG! xx

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Amy Ludwig VanDerwater

November 06, 2015 6:36 PM EST

Quick wave from to the Festival to you amazing Poetry Friday Superstars and Dear Friends and Neighbors, too! Thank you for all these warm and wonderful wishes. <br>They moved the children's presentations indoors for tomorrow, so rain or shine, we're on! X's and O's all around.

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Robyn Black

November 06, 2015 11:35 PM EST

I've used that poem for "Poetry in the Halls" before -- I didn't realize how old it was or anything about the poet's background! Thanks so much for that. Fascinating!

Daughter of Julia Ward Howe?!?! Who knew??? Thanks for the fun poem, for making me feel old (we still have phones with cords in our house), and for teaching me something new!

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Mary Lee Hahn

November 08, 2015 9:41 AM EST

I was not familiar with this poem, but I can see why it has stuck in your memory - too fun. (But I do remember corded phones). =)

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Bridget Magee

November 09, 2015 1:52 PM EST

Hi, Ruth - you're mighty welcome!<br><br>Mary Lee, isn't that a fun fact?! Thanks for coming by.<br><br>Bridget, glad you enjoyed - and our kids don't know what they are missing, being tethered to have a conversation....